A Midnight Carol: A Novel of How Charles Dickens Saved Christmas by Patricia K. Davis

I really liked this book. I must admit I am a Charles Dickens fan. I am also a Christmas Carol fan, so to read this seemed like I was going to like it no matter what. I really like retellings or sequels to classical pieces, too.

With that said, this tale of the story behind the writing and publishing of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol was quite entertaining. I liked that there were enough factual elements from Dickens life that I found the author and story creditable. Since I have taught high school English for years, I know quite a bit about his life and many of those details were included.

The story picks up with Dickens awaiting the birth of his 5th child, while struggling to write a money maker. His past works had done well but he seems to have fallen out of favor. Once the idea of The Christmas Carol is hatched and written, he attempts to publish it in a way that will offer him the opportunity to make more profit. Naturally there is some underhandedness by his publishers and it creates quite a suspenseful air to the book that I did not expect, but it is what made me sad that Christmas came and I had to put it aside. It is also what got me out of bed at 4:45 am this morning to finish it.

If you like Dickens and or The Christmas Carol, I highly recommend.